Volvo Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Tenby

Volvo Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Tenby - Days 1 & 2

by Sally Campbell 29 Aug 2017 14:58 BST 26-31 August 2017

Volvo Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Tenby © Alistair Mackay

Great sunshine in the seaside town of Tenby. Sandcastles built, Noble Marine water bottles and Forward WIP sun visors received and put to use and many ice-creams consumed.

Day 1

After a one hour postponement, giving those of the fleet who had started the social with a bang on Sat night the time to recover and those with small people the opportunity to build giant sandcastles the fleet headed out into a sunny but light wind bay.

Race 1

Johnny and Sarah McGovern were pathfinder and got the fleet away on the first start, with huge grins and great pace. Early out the gate looked good, with fabulous tide creating a travellator up the race course to the windward mark. Hamish Walker/Emma Clarke rounded in 1st, closely followed by Ben Palmer/Amy Seabright, Ross Thompson/ James Scott in the red machine and Chay Taylor and Niamh. Downwind it was all to play for with snakes and ladders all over the place, especially at the leeward mark, where tide made it pretty tricky to get round the gate. Ben/Amy had a storming run to take the lead, with Maria Stanley and Rob Henderson jumping into third, behind Hamish/Emma.

With decreasing breeze and a right shift, the fleet were being pushed to the windward mark making the last beat difficult to gain places but very easy to loose. Ben/Amy 1st, Stanley/Henderson 2nd and Hamish/Emma 3rd.

Race 2 was started in a decreasing breeze, with a forecast for the breeze to go right and the fleet split hard in the decision making. Those who went early looked great for the first five minutes, until the right breeze came in and those who started late felt vindicated as they shot towards the windward mark. Sadly the pathfinder had some issues and the race was later abandoned following a number of protests and some significant bar chat and the rumour mill, to be sailed later on in the event. Cup cakes from Harken in honour of their 50th Anniversary went down as well as the beer from the outside bar.

Day 2

After a well-earned lie in the fleet was scheduled to start at 1300, so after many cups of tea, a rules seminar and some great boat chat the fleet launched once more into the fabulous Tenby bay. More breeze, still lots of tide and hundreds of jellyfish was going to make for an interesting day.

Volvo Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Tenby - photo © Alistair Mackay

Race 3

Maria Stanley and Rob Henderson were like a rocket ship out of the start, started early and a few minutes later with their ballistic speed were able to tack and cross the fleet. They extended their lead for the rest of the race with Rob hiking far too hard upwind, making it look easy! The rest of us mere mortals kept hiking and duly arrived at the windward mark as a rather large group. Many a duck was required for those who came in on the port layline. The fight for 2nd-10th was on! With much changing places both up and downwind, it all came down to the last gybes into the last leeward for 2nd -7th. This saw Ben/Amy in 2nd and Arthur and Mary Henderson screaming in on the plane from the left to 3rd with the rest of us in aggressive soak mode.

Race 4

Alistair Norris and Helen Summersgill smashed the gate start and we got away without incident. Jonny and Sarah McGovern destroyed the fleet on upwind pace to lead into the windward mark closely followed by Ben and Amy. After the first run it was clear there were three major battles on. 1st and 2nd was nip and tuck between Ben/Amy and Johnny/Sarah. 3rd-10th was epically close, with yet again snakes and ladders to be had and it all to play for downwind, with every subtle low shift making the difference. The third battle for top 20 was all set to be the same, with groups of boats arriving at the windward together, showing what close boat speed the 200 fleet has and one small mistake can send you spiralling back down the results.

Volvo Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Tenby - photo © Alistair Mackay

Ben and Amy managed to just hold off a rapid Jonny and Sarah, although there were some nervous moments for Ben and Amy when the spinnaker hoisted and the clew and tack were tangled together at the end of the pole. In the closely fought battle for third– 10th Maria and Rob smashed the right corner, some would say "rang the bell" to take third, just in front of Ed Whitehead and Millie Alcock and Alistair/Helen..

The fleet came ashore to welcome ice creams courtesy of Rooster, who look set to become a regular on the RS200 Nationals scene and then filled the bar to overflowing for the all important Buddy Quiz.

After day 2 it is clear to see that those who partook in the light wind practice and cocktails of Café Flambé (The Flambé Bullets of Ben and Amy, Maria and Rob, Hamish and Emma) in the hot sunshine of Lake Como for the RS Eurocup has paid dividends so far as they lock out the top three on the score board. It is well worth a trip to Carnac next year – for sunshine, excellent racing and of course some cheeky Nationals practice on holiday!

This report is endorsed by #RingtheBell, #RS200sofTenby.

Follow RS200 Class Association and #TrekToTenby on facebook and Instagram.

Results after Day 2:

Pos	Fleet	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Main Club	Buddy	R1	R3	R4	Pts
1st	Gold	1628	Ben Palmer	Amy Seabright	HISC	Halibut	1	2	1	4
2nd	Gold	1642	Maria Stanley	Rob Henderson	Itchenor SC	Flying Fish	2	1	3	6
3rd	Gold	1657	Hamish Walker	Emma Hivey	RNSA	Angelfish	3	6	6	15
4th	Gold	1615	Matt Mee	Emma Norris	Red Wharf Bay SC	Dolphin	10	4	7	21
5th	Gold	1509	Alistair Norris	Helen Summersgill	Red Wharf Bay SC	Eel	8	10	5	23
6th	Gold	1626	Edd Whitehead	Millie Alcock	Parkstone YC	Sea Cucumber	17	7	4	28
7th	Gold	385	Matt Reid	Becca Jones	Spinnaker SC	Mermaid	6	12	14	32
8th	Gold	1601	Jonny McGovern	Sarah McGovern	Y Felinheli	Starfish	11	23	2	36
9th	Gold	846	Jeremy Stephens	Becca Stephens	Penzance SC	Orca	9	17	22	48
10th	Gold	1637	Ollie Groves	Esther Parkhurst	Beaver SC	Jellyfish	21	21	12	54
11th	Gold	1570	Robbie King	Marcus Tressler	Royal Thames YC	Sea Horse	24	25	9	58
12th	Gold	1639	Jack Holden	Holly Scott	Itchenor SC	Crab	23	24	11	58
13th	Silver	985	Chay Taylor	Niamh	Burnham SC	Anchovy	7	16	41	64
14th	Gold	772	Tom Hewitson	Lucy Hewitson	HISC	Plankton	32	18	16	66
15th	Gold	91	Penny Clark	Jo Hewitson	RNSA	Porpoise	4	38	27	69
16th	Silver	1536	Andrew Brown	Alex Sutcliffe	Tynemouth SC	Lionfish	30	31	8	69
17th	Silver	801	Nick Martingdale	Ruth Kenyon	Chew Valley Lake SC	Eel	20	19	32	71
18th	Gold	1391	Tom Darling	Charlie Darling	HISC	Octopus	15	5	52	72
19th	Gold	1347	David Jessop	Sophie Mear	Grafham Water SC	Clown Fish	13	35	25	73
20th	Gold	1331	Tom Ballantine	Maddy Anderson	Wessex SC	Pufferfish	35	9	33	77
21st	Silver	629	Arthur Henderson	Mary Henderson	Itchenor SC	Blue Whale	12	3	64	79
22nd	Silver	1023	Anthony Parke	Claudia Wilson	HISC	Angelfish	25	36	21	82
23rd	Gold	626	Will Taylor	Caithlin Jones	Brighlingsea SC	Shrimp	26	14	46	86
24th	Gold	633	Ross Thompson	James Scott	Frensham Pond SC	Hake	5	27	59	91
25th	Silver	1235	Matt Whitfield	Joanna Kalderon	Itchenor SC	Piranha	27	26	38	91
26th	Gold	1552	Owain Hughes	Mari Shepherd	Parkstone YC	Barracuda	65	8	19	92
27th	Silver	1296	Matt Bromley	Faye Casewell	Yorkshire Dales SC	Haddock	14	13	65	92
28th	Gold	418	Fred Mainwaring	Liz Teague	Red Wharf Bay SC	Lobster	44	22	30	96
29th	Gold	1600	Oliver Turner	Rheanna Pavey	Starcross YC	Prawn	46	33	18	97
30th	Silver	1634	Cam Stewart	Tom Harrison	HISC	Great White Shark	59	29	15	103
31st	Silver	1458	Gus Dixon	Dan Venables	RHYC	Manatee	37	32	36	105
32nd	Silver	1425	Rory Odell	Josh Bonsey	HISC	Porpoise	38	34	35	107
33rd	Gold	1451	Jamie Harris	Taddy H	BCYC	Narwhal	60	20	29	109
34th	Silver	1046	Joseph Bradley	Benjamen Bradley	Hill Head SC	Crab	18	49	43	110
35th	Silver	998	Josh Kerr	Fenella Corlett	Largs SC	Starfish	31	42	39	112
36th	Silver	796	Robin Richardson	Imogen Bellfield	Royal Windermere YC	Clown Fish	36	37	44	117
37th	Bronze	953	Harry Bowerman	Will Birch‑Tomlinson	HISC	Lobster	45	48	28	121
38th	Silver	1229	Caroline Croft	Alex Warren	Shoreham SC	Prawn	29	83	10	122
39th	Bronze	864	Ben Shorrock	Lainey Terkelsen	Frensham Pond SC	Halibut	19	58	48	125
40th	Gold	1545	Georgie Vickers	Dan Vickers	Parkstone YC	Piranha	28	52	45	125
41st	Bronze	1654	Mike Warwicker	Kate Fitzsimmons	Bough Beech SC	Sea Lion	33	28	66	127
42nd	Gold	1631	Martin Penty	Tom Penty	Beaver SC	Shrimp	22	40	68	130
43rd	Silver	1621	Ewan Wilson	Jamie Rastrick	Wormit Boating Club	Octopus	16	68	47	131
44th	Gold	1178	Julian Bradley	Helen Cafferata	Wembly SC	Sea Lion	42	41	49	132
45th	Gold	1445	Pete Ugly Vincent	Abi Campbell	Bristol Corinthian SC	Anchovy	51	69	13	133
46th	Silver	1652	Stewart Bowen	Jack Bowen	Parkstone YC	Turtle	80	39	23	142
47th	Silver	17	Hatty Morsley	Thomas Wallwork	Redesmere SC	Pufferfish	54	50	40	144
48th	Silver	1215	Sam Thompson	Leanne Hibberd	RNSA	Narwhal	39	44	63	146
49th	Silver	1573	Henrik Asplund	Georgina King	Guernsey YC	Coral	49	61	37	147
50th	Silver	911	Rory Rose	Michael O'Donovan	Aberdeen & Stonehaven YC	Hake	67	57	26	150
51st	Bronze	1009	Simom Shillaker	Dan Shillaker	Hill Head SC	Shrimp	41	47	62	150
52nd	Bronze	806	Brenden Lynch	Matt Morson	Port Edgar YC	Barracuda	48	46	56	150
53rd	Silver	1299	Kelvin Matthews	Kirsty Matthews	HISC	Blue Whale	52	43	58	153
54th	Gold	1136	Nicki Birrell	Kate Allam	Parkston YC	Great White Shark	64	73	17	154
55th	Bronze	1605	Kevin Druce	Izzy Druce	Burghfield SC	Anchovy	75	60	20	155
56th	Gold	1237	Dicken Maclean	Hannah Young	HISC	Coral	40	15	RET [102]	157
57th	Silver	1175	Matt Lulham‑Robinson	Amy Sparks	Yorkshire Dales SC	Orca	61	45	54	160
58th	Silver	1511	Mike Green	Lynne Ratcliffe	Eastbourne Sovereign SC	Mussel	47	63	50	160
59th	Gold	1658	John Harvey	Sally Harvey	Thornbury SC	Lionfish	69	11	81	161
60th	Gold	961	Andrew Clewer	Sarah Collingwood	Poole YC	Mussel	68	66	31	165
61st	Gold	1082	Henry Rastrick	Lucy Ferguson	Yorkshire Dales SC	Manatee	81	54	34	169
62nd	Silver	1378	Andy Kilburn	Fiona Mulcahy	Notts County SC	Haddock	56	65	51	172
63rd	Silver	1071	Sam Waller	Isaac Marsh	Beaver SC	Sea Lion	82	51	42	175
64th	Silver	1452	Alistair Hodgson	Joanna Worrall	RYA	Barracuda	83	71	24	178
65th	Gold	1200	Keri Harris	Theo Harris	RNSA	Turtle	50	56	75	181
66th	Bronze	1253	Ed Gibbons	Liam Gardner	Brightlingsea SC	Manatee	66	55	61	182
67th	Bronze	993	Alex McCormack	Millie Gibbons	Scaling Dam SC	Prawn	77	30	76	183
68th	Silver	1110	Roscoe Martin	Kent Martin	Ogston SC	Flying Fish	43	67	74	184
69th	Bronze	909	Jack Vincent	Lizzie Fuller	Bough Beech SC	Angelfish	53	62	73	188
70th	Silver	584	Tim Freeman	Hannah Liptrot	Warsash SC	Lobster	34	78	83	195
71st	Bronze	756	Chris Saunders	Pippa Hardman	Mumbles YC	Dolphin	70	53	72	195
72nd	Bronze	1092	Ethan Dawson	Ellie Clark	Bassenthwaite SC	Pufferfish	73	59	70	202
73rd	Bronze	1510	Chris Eames	Rachel Tilley	Ballyholme YC	Porpoise	76	70	57	203
74th	Silver	915	Victoria Upton	Will Ward	Exe SC	Dolphin	78	74	53	205
75th	Silver	609	Peter Rose	Ioan Thompson	Tenby SC	Plankton	57	76	84	217
76th	Silver	581	Matthew Rhodes	Will Rhodes	Northampton SC	Jellyfish	63	85	71	219
77th	Bronze	1098	Andrew Corlett	Callum Forsyth	Largs SC	Narwhal	84	82	55	221
78th	Bronze	1145	Nicholas Smith	Max Ross	Bristol Corinthain YC	Sea Cucumber	87	75	60	222
79th	Bronze	1390	Syd Mclean	Tom Mclean	HISC	Octopus	71	64	87	222
80th	Bronze	489	Jas Stubbs	Steve Stubbs	Tenby SC	Mermaid	55	91	80	226
81st	Bronze	1376	Katie‑May Monro	Samuel James	Royal Findhorn YC	Eel	92	72	67	231
82nd	Bronze	1167	Bernard Clark	Edward Russell	Ripon SC	Haddock	62	86	89	237
83rd	Bronze	1284	Tony Wilkinson	Kelly Aaron	Parkston YC	Crab	79	89	69	237
84th	Bronze	1076	Ollie Hawkins	Isabel Abbatt	Looe SC	Flying Fish	72	80	91	243
85th	Silver	1397	Paul Frey	Max Carey	Parkstone YC	Sea Horse	88	77	82	247
86th	Bronze	352	James Morson	Ross Malloy	Port Edgar YC	Piranha	91	79	79	249
87th	Bronze	964	Lewis Bowen	Alice Powell	Northampton SC	Lionfish	58	DSQ [102]	92	252
88th	Bronze	805	Harry Odling	Larissa Connabeer	Plymouth University	Jellyfish	85	90	77	252
89th	Silver	880	Duncan Jamieson	Jess Hammett	HISC	Sea Cucumber	74	DSQ [102]	78	254
90th	Bronze	1342	Sarah Green	David Green	Llandegfedd SC	Turtle	90	81	88	259
91st	Bronze	593	Martin Clapham	Rupert Clapham	Thornbury SC	Starfish	89	88	85	262
92nd	Silver	1247	Willow Bland	Lucie Offord	Waldringfield SC	Halibut	86	84	97	267
93rd	Bronze	984	Dan Discombe	Sophie Cogger	Bough Beech SC	Great White Shark	99	87	86	272
94th	Bronze	519	Sue Brannam	Mike Proven	Burghfield SC	Coral	96	94	90	280
95th	Bronze	547	James Wright	Daniel Wright	Durleigh SC	Sea Horse	97	92	93	282
96th	Bronze	1398	Paul Griffiths	Julia Griffiths	Saundersfoot SC	Hake	93	95	94	282
97th	Bronze	959	Tommie Cluley	Anna Blagden	Carsington SC	Orca	95	93	95	283
98th	Bronze	439	Julia Lewis	Ed Lewis	Wembly SC	Mussel	94	96	98	288
99th	Bronze	866	Heather Sword	Lucy Rawbone	Loch Tummel SC	Clown Fish	98	DSQ [102]	96	296
100th	Bronze	429	David Fenech	Alison Williams	Wilsonian SC	Blue Whale	DNC [102]	DNC [102]	DNC [102]	306
100th	Bronze	358	Jonathan Baddeley	Stefan Ward	HISC	Plankton	DNC [102]	DNC [102]	DNC [102]	306